Original Article: https://www.dogster.com/dog-breeds/bichon-pitbull-mix

The Bichon Pitbull is a crossbreed of the Bichon Frise and a Pitbull breed, typically the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the American Bully, or the American Pit Bull Terrier. However, it’s most likely the American Pit Bull Terrier in most cases.

Breed Overview

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On the Bichon Frise side of the family, they are generally happy dogs that love to socialize. They are also intelligent and energetic in nature, making them easy to train and fun to be around. Keeping up with their pup’s energy levels isn’t easy, if you’re not an active person.

It’s virtually impossible to tell how the puppies will look because their individual genetics often play a huge role. Needless to say, not all pups in the same litter will have the same attributes.

Bichon Pitbull Mix Puppies

The Bichon Pitbull Mix will often come with short-haired or medium-haired coats. And personality-wise, they are always friendly, gentle, and loyal to the core.

It’s a matter of paramount importance to ensure that your Bichon Pitbull Mix pup gets the required dose of mental stimulation daily, or they’ll have a hard time keeping boredom or anxiety at bay. From our experience, it seems like dogs that come with a relatively high intelligence quotient tend to be susceptible to such issues.

Our advice to you is to always work with reputable breeders if you’re planning to buy a Bichon Pitbull Mix pup. We already know there’s wide variability in the hybrids, and that’s what confuses even the most experienced pet owners.

Always go for pups that were bred using parents that have never shown signs of patellar luxation or hip dysplasia. Annual eye exams and cardiac screenings are important as well, in the case of the Bichon Frise.

The annual expenses of owning a Bichon Pitbull Mix will add up to thousands of dollars. You’ll have to budget for food, vet checkups, insurance, physical and mental stimulation toys, bedding, grooming, etc.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Bichon Pitbull Mix

Like most dogs, the Bichon Pitbull mix’s traits are primarily influenced by the genes inherited from the parent breeds—both desirable and undesirable traits. It’s why we are always adamant about meeting parents before being introduced to their baby pooch.

The good news is that both breeds have awesome dispositions, as the Terrier’s genes are known to compel the breed to remain loyal to a fault, while those of the Frise make it adaptable. Their intelligence is unquestionably high, but so is their sensitivity.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Their friendly demeanor makes them good family dogs, while their playful nature makes kids gravitate more toward them. Nevertheless, you still have to supervise their interactions, particularly if you have toddlers in the house.

Their Pitbull genes make them robust and muscular, and those are the kind of traits that don’t mesh well with families who have very young kids.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?🐶 😽

The American Pit Bull Terrier was bred to hunt, meaning they have a really strong prey drive. This makes them less suitable for families that already have small pets in the house.

Even if they are well-socialized, those instincts are still in there, waiting for something to draw them out. So, we would not recommend a Bichon Pitbull mix to anyone who has a rabbit, a cat, or any other small animal in the house.

Things to Know When Owning a Bichon Pitbull Mix

We’ll kick this off by reminding you once more that genetics significantly influences different aspects of this breed’s life. So, organize a meeting with their parents before making any purchase, or you’ll have a hard time figuring out what’s good for them and what’s not.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Despite the fact that the Bichon Pitbull Hybrid is usually a medium-sized dog, some of them are fairly small. Therefore, you can’t just assume that all of them have the same food and diet requirements. Fortunately to us, this is something that manufacturers are aware of, thus ensuring their packages come with guidelines based on the breed’s weight.

A Bichon Pitbull mix puppy has to be fed three to four times per day. They are a lot more active than your typical puppy and have a faster metabolism. It doesn’t quite matter if you prefer feeding them dry or wet food, as long as it’s premium quality and designed to deliver all the essential nutrients. Those vitamins, carbs, protein, fats, and minerals are all important in their development and growth process.

As they approach the 12-month mark, you’re expected to reduce the number of servings. Normally, an adult Bichon Pitbull Mix eats two times a day, to maintain a healthy weight. While homemade diet options are great, we usually recommend commercially produced dog food to make tracking calories easier. Also, treats should not be served as dietary supplements, but as training aids.

Exercise 🐕

The Bichon Pitbull mix needs at least an hour of physical exercise every day, to fully enjoy the benefits of their physical stimulation activities—30 minutes in the morning, and then the other 30 in the afternoon or evening.

You could run for those 30 minutes, play fetch, tug-of-war, or engage in any other activity that feels physically intense. If you’re not in the mood to play, go to the park, and let them run around with other dogs. But only if you’re certain that they are well-socialized.

Training 🎾

Treats will help you effectively incorporate positive reinforcement techniques into your dog training programs. These dogs are intelligent and capable of quickly grasping basic commands such as “Stay” “Sit” and “No” Nonetheless, you still have to be patient and consistent while training a muscular breed. Many of them tend to be stubborn, especially if they come with a relatively high IQ.

Grooming ✂️

This will hinge on the hybrid’s dominant gene. If they have the Bichon Frise’s gene as the one calling all the shots, they’ll come with a double coat. Double coats have to be brushed at least twice per week, to redistribute the oils produced by their skin and maintain their glow.

The Terrier’s coat is short-haired, meaning you can brush them once per week, and they’ll still be in tip-top shape. Remember to add your dog’s ears and nails into their grooming routine.

Health and Conditions 🏥

So far, we haven’t heard of any untreatable or preventable medical conditions that are prevalent in this mix. Regardless, you still have to put in a request for those pre-breeding health screen reports from the breeder, as there are no guarantees. Some of the conditions to look out for include:

Male vs Female

There may be a difference in size when you look at the males and females of this breed. But their personalities are no different, or their intelligence. Of course, spaying or neutering the dog will affect their general behavior, but that’s to be expected.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Bichon Pitbull Mix

1. The American Pit Bull Terrier Is a Close Relative to the Old English Bulldog

To improve their behavioral and physical traits, the Old English Terrier—now extinct—was crossbred with the Old English Bulldog. The resultant breed after some development was the American Pit Bull Terrier.

2. The Bichon Frise Has Close Ancestral Ties with Several Other Popular Breeds

Back in the day, enthusiasts would crossbreed different dogs for various reasons. The practice was so rampant that pure breeds were almost going into extinction. That’s why we still have breeds that share genes to date, even though they were crossbred decades ago. The Bichon Frise, for example, has strong links with the Maltese, the Havanese, and the Bolognese.

3. The American Pit Bull Terrier Is a Founding Kennel Club Member

In 1898, Chauncey Zachariah Bennett founded the United Kennel Club (UKC). He was a dog lover and owned an American Pit Bull Terrier at the time. Bennett’s Ring, which was the name of the dog, was the first name to appear in the registration list, thus making him a founding member.

Final Thoughts

To produce a Bichon Pitbull Mix, you’ll need a Pitbull and a Bichon Frise. The resultant hybrid is a family-oriented dog that’s loyal, energetic, adaptable, and fun to be around.

They are, however, wary of strangers, and may be aggressive without proper socialization. The other negative is the fact that they aren’t as popular as other breeds, making them hard to find.

Featured Image Credit: Left – Ieva Tvaronavicute, Shutterstock | Right – Sophia Tr, Shutterstock

Source: Dogster